Lactone copolymers as stripping aids in recovery of polymer from solution

In a steam-stripping process for recovering a polymer prepared by polymerizing an olefinically unsaturated monomer in a hydrocarbon solvent with an organometal initiator wherein the resulting polymer-in-hydrocarbon solvent solution is steam-stripped to remove said hydrocarbon solvent and to produce polymer crumb in aqueous phase after shortstopping the process of polymerizing.

• the improvement which comprises employing during said steam-stripping an effective steam-stripping amount of a low molecular weight lactone copolymer as stripping aid,
• wherein said lactone copolymer is a copolymer of a lactone with a conjugated diene and/or a monovinylarene, and has a molecular weight of about 2000 to 100000.